Scottish National Party (SNP) | political party, Scotland, United Kingdom | Britannica.com Scottish National Party (SNP) political party, Scotland, United Kingdom Written By: Scottish National Party (SNP), nationalist political party that has sought to make Scotland an independent state within the European Union (EU). History The SNP was formed in 1934 from a union of the National Party of Scotland (founded in 1928) and the Scottish Party (1932). From the beginning, disagreements arose within the SNP over whether to focus on electoral politics or wider cultural aims. There were also deep divisions over its relations with other political parties, primarily the Labour Party . World War II created further controversy concerning the British government’s right to declare war on behalf of the Scottish people. After 1945 the SNP helped to circulate petitions demanding a Scottish Parliament, but until the 1960s the movement for Scottish independence achieved little success and was sustained only by symbolic and insubstantial victories, such as the theft of the Stone of Scone —the ancient stone upon which Scottish kings were crowned—from Westminster Abbey in 1950.

In the meantime, the SNP became more pragmatic and disciplined , though the party was still plagued by internal divisions and inexperienced leadership. In the 1950s and ’60s the SNP’s popularity increased with the spread of criticism of British control of Scottish affairs. During the 1970s and ’80s the party’s nationalist stance was brought more sharply into focus by the production of North Sea oil in Scottish waters, which raised the possibility of Scottish economic autonomy , and by the rule in London of the British Conservative Party (1979–97), which enjoyed the support of only a minority of voters in Scotland . The SNP’s greatest success came in the general election of October 1974. Managing for once to mobilize a sense of economic grievance and cultural resentment that cut across the traditional class divisions of Scottish politics, the party won more than 30 percent of the Scottish vote and took 11 of the 71 Scottish seats in the British Parliament . In later years the party was supported consistently in opinion polls by 20 to 25 percent of Scottish voters, making it the second most popular party in Scotland after Labour.

Similar Topics Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) In the late 1990s the SNP ventured into the mainstream of Scottish politics by attempting to attract support from groups such as businesses and trade unions. In addition, the SNP made explicit attempts to modernize its party structure and its public relations strategies. Despite the Labour Party ’s continued popularity in Scotland, the SNP managed to remain a significant presence. After Labour won a landslide victory in the general elections of May 1997—in which the SNP took six seats in Parliament, its best performance in nearly 25 years—the SNP joined Labour and the Liberal Democratic Party to campaign vigorously for a second referendum proposing the creation of a Scottish Parliament (a previous referendum in 1979 was unsuccessful). The referendum passed with more than 74 percent of voters in favour; 64 percent also approved giving the body the power to change tax rates. Despite the opposition of the Conservative Party and the House of Lords , the government adopted a proportional representation system for elections to the new parliament, which made it possible for the SNP to extend its influence.

At the first elections to the Scottish Parliament in May 1999, the SNP established itself as the main opposition to the Labour Party and its governing coalition with the Liberal Democrats, securing 29 percent of the votes and winning 35 of 129 seats. After a decade as the SNP’s “national convener,” the party leader, Alex Salmond , resigned in July 2000 in a dispute over party finances. He was replaced by 36-year-old John Swinney, the party’s deputy leader and a member of the British and Scottish parliaments. In the Scottish elections of 2003, the SNP’s vote share dropped to 21 percent and its seats to 27. Swinney stepped down the following year, and Salmond was once again elected the party’s leader. British Culture and Politics The party remained an important political force in Scotland as the main opposition party, and in the 2007 elections the SNP staged a historic upset, winning the most seats in the Scottish Parliament to end some 50 years of Labour Party dominance in Scotland.

The SNP, which captured 47 seats to Labour’s 46, subsequently formed a minority administration, and Salmond was elected first minister of Scotland; he became the first Nationalist to hold the post. The SNP’s performance in 2011 was even more impressive, securing the first majority government in the history of the Scottish Parliament. Having secured that majority, Salmond pledged to hold a referendum on independence within five years. In 2012 he signed an agreement with British Prime Minister David Cameron to hold the referendum, which was ultimately scheduled for September 2014, and to pose a single simple question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent Vigorous campaigns were mounted on both sides of the question, and, although opinion polls in 2013 indicated clear sustained opposition to independence by margins ranging between three to two and two to one, the “yes” side gained tremendous momentum in the immediate run-up to voting, bringing the outcome very much into doubt.

In the event, the measure was convincingly defeated—with about 55 percent voting “no” and about 45 percent voting “yes”—but only after Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats, and Labour Party leader Ed Miliband jointly had published an 11th-hour “vow” in the Scottish newspaper Daily Record in which they pledged to provide more powers to Scotland if the referendum failed. Salmond resigned as first minister and party leader following the referendum and was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon , who proved herself to be a dynamic campaigner as she led the SNP to an unprecedented showing in the May 2015 U.K. general election, in which the party jumped from representing 6 Scottish constituencies to representing 56, obliterating Labour’s longtime dominance of Scottish representation in Westminster. In May 2016 Sturgeon led the SNP to its third straight victory in elections for the Scottish Parliament, though the party lost its outright majority, slipping from 69 seats to 63. Sturgeon eschewed forming a coalition. Instead, she insisted that the results still mandated solo rule by the SNP, albeit as a minority government.

Policy and structure Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The SNP accepts devolution—that is, the legal decentralization of power to the British regions—as one stage on the road to independence for Scotland. Overall, the party describes itself as moderate and left of centre. It tends to be staunchly anti-Conservative in its party politics and interventionist in its economic policies, and it is committed to a non-nuclear defense. These tendencies sometimes made it difficult for the SNP to distinguish itself clearly from the Labour Party. A key change in SNP policy came in 1998, when it reversed its original opposition to membership of an independent Scotland within the EU. The basic unit of organization is the local branch. Above this level the most important bodies are constituency associations, which propose candidates on the basis of a nationally approved list. At the national level, the annual conference of the party is formally the supreme decision-making authority, though in practice the National Executive Committee (led by the national convener) is the most powerful body. A National Council makes policy decisions between annual conferences. Although the party does not disclose membership figures, estimates in the late 1990s put the number of members at between 8,000 and 16,000.

Party members are heavily involved in fund-raising activities. Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond announces sudden resignation - World Socialist Web Site World Socialist Web Site Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond announces sudden resignation By Steve James 25 July 2000 After 10 years in the leadership of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond announced his resignation last week. Speaking at a press conference held in the Banff and Buchan constituency for which he is a Westminster MP, Salmond said that his decision, which was unexpected, was because he expected the party to do extremely well in the next Scottish elections due in 2003. Such success would require another lengthy period of political commitment, Salmond said, which for personal reasons he felt unable to make. He was therefore making way in time to enable a new leader the necessary space to find his or her feet. Salmond did however indicate that he intended to remain politically active in the SNP, perhaps seeking a European role. Despite his nonchalant reasoning, Salmond's resignation comes amidst sustained criticism of his leadership since the elections to the newly created Scottish Parliament in 1999.

During the election campaign for the new body, Salmond likened NATO's on-going bombing raid against Serbia to Nazi Germany's attacks against Glasgow during World War II. The NATO action was “unpardonable folly”, he had said, calling for the imposition of United Nations sanctions against the Serbia regime instead. His statements were motivated by the SNP's orientation to Europe, where several parties had spoken against the NATO bombing because they viewed it as an attempt by the US to assert its military dominance over the continent. Salmond's breach in the all-party support in the UK for the war brought the full weight of government and media ire down on the SNP. A virtual media blackout was imposed on the SNP's election efforts, forcing the party to launch its own daily newspaper for the duration of the campaign. The Blair government went on the offensive against Scottish independence, accusing the SNP of trying to break up families and commerce with their imposition of new borders between Scotland and England. Glasgow's Govan shipyard was saved from closure only by a military order from the UK Ministry of Defence.

Subsequently, the SNP kept well clear of any further statements on the war against Serbia, focussing instead on their “Scotland's penny” campaign—a last minute scheme dreamt up by Salmond to oppose a Labour Party tax cut. In the end, the SNP won a mere 35 of 129 seats—a poor result for a party that only a few months previously had been 14 percent ahead of Labour in the polls. In the aftermath, Salmond has sought to soften the party's stance on Scottish independence. This made him the target of a campaign by the party's “fundamentalist” wing. This includes Ian Blackford, the former SNP treasurer who is currently suspended from membership and is embroiled in a dispute with the party leadership over loans he made during the 1999 election campaign. Blackford, a senior manager with the Deutsche Bank, accused Salmond of “dereliction of duty” over his apparent back-pedalling on independence. Another critic who has accused Salmond of having “lost the plot” is Member of the Scottish Parliament Margo MacDonald.

Her husband, ex-SNP Westminster MP turned business consultant and newspaper columnist Jim Sillars, had regularly attacked the SNP leader in the pages of Rupert Murdoch's Sun. Even prior to Salmond's resignation there were clear indications that the party was shifting towards a more aggressive assertion of Scottish independence. In a recent statement on central government funding for the Welsh and Scottish areas, Salmond himself had complained, “the need for fiscal autonomy for the Scottish Parliament becomes ever clearer.” Explaining what “fiscal autonomy” means, Glasgow Herald columnist Murray Ritchie noted, “it means Scots paying their own way by gathering their own taxes, regardless of the Treasury and Westminster and passing on an agreed sum to London for central services and costs such as defence and foreign affairs. If fiscal autonomy ever comes about it will make Scotland the most economically independent ‘region' in Europe—and probably the most prosperous—not least because full fiscal control would mean Scotland keeping oil and whisky revenues.” In an interview with the Sunday Times on July 23, Salmond admitted that his resignation was bound up with resolving the issues of political perspective within the SNP. “Confused signals” on independence during the 1999 election had lost it votes, Salmond said.

The new leader would have to sharpen the party's appeal to Scotland's business community, he continued, and present “the acceptable face of the Scottish independence movement”. The leadership elections will be held in September but the contest has already begun. Alex Neil, another “fundamentalist”, has officially declared his candidacy. Other potential candidates include deputy leader John Swinney, SNP business manager Mike Russell, and justice spokesman Roseanna Cunningham. Scottish referendum: Salmond to quit after Scots vote No - BBC News BBC News Scottish referendum: Salmond to quit after Scots vote No 19 September 2014 Media captionFirst Minister, Alex Salmond: "For me as leader my time is nearly over" Alex Salmond is to step down as Scottish first minister after voters rejected independence. He will also resign as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which he has led for a total of 20 years. Scottish voters backed the country staying in the UK by 2,001,926 votes to 1,617,989 in Thursday's referendum. Three arrests have been made after rival Union and independence supporters gathered in George Square in the centre of Glasgow .

Police, including officers on horseback, had to separate the two groups. Media captionRival groups of Unionists and independence supporters are separated by police in Glasgow's George Square A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said there were about 100 people in each of the two groups, and although there had been some "minor disorder" it had been dealt with quickly, with no arrests so far. The square was closed to traffic with local diversions in place. The square had hosted a party by "Yes" supporters ahead of the referendum. BBC Scotland reporter Cameron Buttle, who was at the scene, said the confrontation started quickly with flares being fired and a "co-ordinated" charge from the Unionist side, who were singing Rule Britannia. Meanwhile, the Queen has said Scotland's vote to stay in the Union was "a result that all of us throughout the United Kingdom will respect".

She added: "Knowing the people of Scotland as I do, I have no doubt that Scots, like others throughout the United Kingdom, are able to express strongly-held opinions before coming together again in a spirit of mutual respect and support." Elsewhere, Prime Minister David Cameron said the three main Westminster parties would now deliver their campaign pledge to boost the powers of Scotland's devolved parliament. Referendum reaction The morning after the No before Mr Salmond, 59, is Scotland's longest-serving first minister , having held the post since the SNP won power at the Scottish Parliament in May 2007. Speaking from his official residence at Bute House in Edinburgh, the first minister told journalists: "For me as leader my time is nearly over, but for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die. "I am immensely proud of the campaign that Yes Scotland fought and particularly of the 1.6 million voters who rallied to that cause." Mr Salmond said he would resign as SNP leader at the party's conference in November, before standing down as first minister when the party elects its next leader in a membership ballot. He said there were a "number of eminently qualified and very suitable candidates" to replace him.

But Nicola Sturgeon, the current deputy first minister and deputy SNP leader, is seen as a clear frontrunner. Mr Salmond, who will stay on as MSP for Aberdeenshire East, added: "It has been the privilege of my life to serve Scotland as first minister. "But, as I said often during the referendum campaign, this is not about me or the SNP. It is much more important than that. "The position is this. We lost the referendum vote but can still carry the political initiative. More importantly Scotland can still emerge as the real winner." Ms Sturgeon said she could "think of no greater privilege than to seek to lead the party I joined when I was just 16," but said she would not make an announcement today. She added: "Alex Salmond's achievements as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister are second to none. He led the SNP into government and has given our country a renewed self confidence." Mr Salmond also used his resignation statement to question Mr Cameron's more powers pledge. "We now have the opportunity to hold Westminster's feet to the fire on the 'vow' that they have made to devolve further meaningful power to Scotland," he said. "This places Scotland in a very strong position.

What the 'No' vote means at home and abroad The Union stays - but what has it meant for 300 years? Go to the BBC's Scotland Decides page for more details "I spoke to the prime minister today and, although he reiterated his intention to proceed as he has outlined, he would not commit to a second reading vote (in the House of Commons) by 27 March on a Scotland Bill. "That was a clear promise laid out by Gordon Brown during the campaign. "The prime minister says such a vote would be meaningless. I suspect he cannot guarantee the support of his party." Many politicians paid tribute to Mr Salmond's contribution to political debate, including David Cameron who spoke of his "huge talent and passion". On referendum night, 28 of Scotland's 32 local authority areas voted in favour of staying in the UK. Glasgow, Scotland's largest council area and the third largest city in Britain, voted in favour of independence by 194,779 to 169,347.

But the the 75% turnout in Glasgow was the lowest in the country, and hoped for breakthroughs in other traditional Labour strongholds such as South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and across Ayrshire never materialised for the nationalists. Edinburgh, the nation's capital, clearly rejected independence by 194,638 to 123,927 votes, while Aberdeen City voted "No" by a margin of more than 20,000 votes. Across Scotland, 84.6% of registered voters cast their ballot in the referendum - a record for a national election. Image copyright other Image caption Mr Salmond tweeted this image of himself and wife Moira with the message: "Heading home to Strichen. With love and thanks from Moira and I for all your kind messages of support" Image copyright Reuters Image caption No supporters celebrate after their decisive victory Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Pro-independence supporters console one another in Edinburgh Image copyright AP Image caption "No" campaigners were jubilant as the scale of the result became known Mr Cameron said the Westminster parties would ensure commitments on new Scottish parliament powers were "honoured in full" after the final referendum result was announced.

He said that Lord Smith of Kelvin, who led Glasgow's staging of the Commonwealth Games, would oversee the process to take forward the commitments, with new powers over tax, spending and welfare to be agreed by November, and draft legislation published by January. The prime minister also spoke of the implications for the other nations of the UK, and said "millions of voices of England must also be heard". He added: "The question of English votes for English laws, the so-called West Lothian question, requires a decisive answer so just as Scotland will vote separately in the Scottish Parliament on their issues on tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues.

"And all this must take place in tandem with and at the same pace as the settlement for Scotland." Alex Salmond resigns as first minister after Scotland rejects independence | Politics | The Guardian Alex Salmond Alex Salmond resigns as first minister after Scotland rejects independence Leader of the Scottish National party will stand down in November, as the vote foreshadowed months of constitutional turmoil Friday 19 September 2014 17.48 EDT First published on Friday 19 September 2014 17.48 EDT Close This article is 2 years old Alex Salmond declared he will stand down as Scotland's first minister and the leader of the Scottish National party after failing to secure a majority for independence, as the country's vote to remain in the United Kingdom foreshadowed months of constitutional turmoil. After 55% of Scottish voters rejected independence, a higher margin than suggested by the final opinion polls of the campaign, Salmond, who has dominated Scottish politics for the past decade, said he would quit in November. Looking drained after a grueling night, Salmond said it was time to move on.

"The last seven years as first minister of Scotland has been the privilege of my life but I think that's a reasonable spell of service, and I think that we have to understand and recognise when it is time to give someone else a chance to move that forward," Salmond said in his resignation statement delivered at the first minister's residence at Bute House, in Edinburgh. The challenge laid down by the result – achieved only after a lastminute series of concessions by the UK political parties – shifted to London. A months-long constitutional battle now seems certain. The Queen i ssued a rare public statement, urging unity after a divisive campaign. After the final tally of votes, the no campaign won 55.3%, compared to 44.7% for yes. Despite the defeat, that figure was a high water mark for the independence movement and the Scottish National party. Pro-union supporters celebrate as Scottish independence referendum results are announced at a 'Better Together' event in Glasgow, Scotland Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty Images David Cameron declared a "clear result" and promised a "devolution revolution" across Britain . "There can be no disputes, no reruns – we have heard the settled will of the Scottish people," the prime minister said.

The yes campaign scored four big successes, winning 53% of the vote in Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, 54% in West Dunbartonshire, 57% in Dundee and 51% in North Lanarkshire. However, the no camp was victorious in 28 local authority areas. It won overwhelmingly in regions where it was expected to do well, including Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Borders, but also in areas that could have gone to the yes campaign, including Falkirk, Inverclyde, Eilean Siar and Clackmannanshire. In the final count, the no camp clocked up 2,001,926 votes to 1,617,989 for yes. Cameron acted to head off a revolt by rank-and-file Conservative MPs, worried that he had given too many concessions to Scotland in the last days of the campaign. Speaking in Downing Street shortly after 7am, the prime minister announced that the price for further devolution of powers to Scotland must be an agreement that only English MPs should be allowed to vote on legislation that affects England alone.

David Cameron: 'We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must be heard.' Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA But the Cameron plan angered Scottish nationalists, who had not been told that further powers for the Scottish parliament might be intertwined with constitutional progress over English affairs. Cameron said: "I have long believed a crucial part missing from this national discussion is England. We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must also be heard. "The question of English votes for English laws, the so-called West Lothian question, requires a decisive answer, so just as Scotland will vote separately on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues. "All this must take place in tandem with and at the same pace as the settlement for Scotland." The leader of the opposition Labour party, Ed Miliband, countered with a demand for a constitutional convention to review voting arrangements at Westminster and the powers of English cities, and called for an elected second chamber to represent the regions and nations of the United Kingdom. Pro-independence supporters console each other after a no vote in the Scottish referendum.

'The result is the beginning of a conversation, not the closing statement of a soliloquy.' Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty Images In Edinburgh, Salmond said he had made the decision to quit in the morning after the referendum result emerged: "For me right now there is a decision as to who is best placed to lead this process forward politically. "I believe that in this new exciting situation, redolent with possibility, party, parliament and country would benefit from new leadership." He said he would not accept the SNP's nomination to be a candidate for leader at the party's annual conference in Perth in November, allowing a new party leader to be elected. Given the SNP's majority in the Scottish parliament, the new leader will also become first minister. Salmond is likely to be succeeded by his deputy Nicola Sturgeon, who has become a commanding figure in the independence campaign after being appointed by Salmond to lead the referendum process. Speaking minutes after Salmond's announcement, Sturgeon said that she could think of "no greater privilege" than to succeed Salmond as SNP leader and first minister, but that the decision "is not for today".

This is the second time Salmond has resigned as leader of his party in dramatic circumstances: he stood down from his first stint as leader in September 2000, only a year after the newly established Scottish parliament was founded in Edinburgh. Deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon after casting her vote in the referendum. Photograph: Gary Calton In London, Cameron made clear that the constitutional reforms, including in Scotland, would not be delivered until after the general election, and that Scottish measures would proceed in tandem with changes in England. "We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must be heard," he said. Cameron threw down a challenge to the Labour opposition to say whether it would agree to the introduction of English votes for English MPs, and announced that William Hague, leader of the House of Commons, would advance the issue in a special cabinet committee. The prime minister, vindicated in his decision to stage a yes/no referendum, also revealed he had asked Lord Smith of Kelvin to implement the Scottish devolution reforms set out by the party leaders in the final weeks of the referendum campaign. He announced that the government would shortly say more about the devolution of further powers to the cities and regions of the UK.

Miliband, the Labour leader, said the referendum was a vote from the Scottish people for change. "We know our country needs to change in the way it is governed and we know our country needs to change in who it is governed for. We will deliver on stronger powers for a stronger Scottish parliament, a strong Scotland." But he said that would go beyond Scotland. "We will also meet the desire for change across England, across Wales, across the whole of the United Kingdom." Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said the referendum "marks not only a new chapter for Scotland within the UK but also wider constitutional reform across the union". Echoing the SNP's argument, he said a vote against independence was "clearly not a vote against change". "We must now deliver on time and in full the radical package of newly devolved powers to Scotland," he added. Yet that result raises the risk of further turmoil, with MPs from Cameron's Conservative party threatening to revolt against the prime minister's late and potentially vital vow to quickly increase the Scottish parliament's powers while protecting its spending. Nigel Farage, leader of the rightwing Ukip party, said Cameron's offer of more devolution for England did not go far enough.

"The English are 86% by population of this union. They've been left out of all of this for the last 18 years. We still have a situation where Scottish MPs can vote in the House of Commons on English-only issues. I think what most English people want is a fair settlement," he said. The prime minister wants to move fast to show that the three main UK party leaders will live up to their commitments made during the referendum campaign to deliver what the former prime minister Gordon Brown called home rule within the UK. Ministers believe it is important to move quickly to avoid a repeat of the 1980 referendum in Québec. The triumphalist behaviour of Ontario fuelled the separatist cause that nearly succeeded in a second referendum in 1995. For the no campaign there was relief: a spate of authoritative polls in the final days of the campaign had said the vote was on a knife edge, bringing Yes Scotland within touching distance of victory after a dramatic surge in support. Sterling jumped, reaching a new two-year high against the euro in Asian trading hours, as the referendum was called in favour of the no vote. The FTSE 100 opened 44 points higher.

The Press Association contributed to this report One of SNP’s most senior MPs to argue Scottish government needs a champion at Westminster for greater devolution Published: 25 Sep 2014 SNP deputy first minister vows to work in good faith with pro-union parties on delivering new powers for Scottish parliament Published: 24 Sep 2014 The wrangles over Holyrood’s tax and welfare powers will dominate Nicola Sturgeon’s life as first minister but domestic problems are likely to be significant too, over the NHS, childcare, climate policy and college places Published: 24 Sep 2014 With the SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon's promotion said to be in 'no doubt', women's campaigns hail a breakthrough Published: 20 Sep 2014 BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Under-fire SNP leader resigns Under-fire SNP leader resigns John Swinney pauses during his resignation news conference The leader of the Scottish National Party John Swinney has resigned. He made a formal announcement on Tuesday morning following poor results in the European elections in which the party failed to overtake Labour.

The 40-year-old MSP for Tayside North was elected party leader in September 2000 but latterly faced criticism for accepting the concept of devolution. His deputy, Roseanna Cunningham, has announced her intention to stand for the leadership. Mr Swinney believed independence would be achieved by increasing the power and influence of his party, using the Scottish Parliament as a platform. Your views: John Swinney's resignation However, he faced opposition from fundamentalists who said the SNP should focus on the objective of total independence. First Minister Jack McConnell said: "In the end, John Swinney had no choice but to resign having increasingly lost the debate to Labour over the last three years. "But a change at the top won't make much of a difference. The real problem with the Nationalists is not their leadership but their politics and their policies." In his resignation speech, Mr Swinney defended the SNP's credibility and record but accepted responsibility for the failure to sell the party's message.

No member of the SNP should ever underestimate the damage that is caused to our movement by the loose and dangerous talk of the few John Swinney Speaking at the party's headquarters in Edinburgh he said: "Many voters are telling us we have not yet answered their key question, why independence? "We are not yet seen as an alternative government in waiting, and despite my best efforts over the past four years I accept that many people still do not have a clear understanding of what the SNP stands for, over and above an independent Scotland. "As leader of the Scottish National Party, I take full responsibility for the fact that we have not made as much progress in these areas as I would have liked." He issued a plea for unity in order to secure a future for the party. The European elections caused a storm for John Swinney "Given the scale of the challenges we face, what our members need and what I appeal for today, is unity within the Scottish National Party to ensure our success. "No member of the SNP should ever underestimate the damage that is caused to our movement by the loose and dangerous talk of the few." Mr Swinney pledged his support and co-operation to his successor and said he would continue to serve as an MSP.

He said: "I confirm my intention to continue to represent the people of North Tayside in the Scottish Parliament for as long as they will give me the honour of so doing. "It has been a privilege to lead the Scottish National Party during this time of the rebirth of Scottish democracy. "I am proud to have played my part in the sometimes difficult transition the SNP is making from being a party of protest to becoming a party of government. It is a journey I am certain we will complete." Internal ructions Mr Swinney had vowed to overtake Labour in the European elections but failed to do so, increasing pressure on his position. Following the poll, he said the party had been "bedevilled" by internal strife and had not succeeded in explaining to the public the SNP's policies beyond independence. He had expressed his determination to continue but changed his mind after some senior figures stated publicly that his position was untenable. Election timetable Ballots mailed to all members by 13 August Ballots to be returned by 31 August Result announced 3 September Names touted as a possible replacement include Ms Cunningham, justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon, Kenny MacAskill and former MSP Mike Russell.

Ms Sturgeon said she was "taking soundings" and Mr Russell said the party now had some "serious thinking" to do before it moved forward. There was a lot to thank John Swinney for, including the "long overdue" internal reforms which he had introduced. Alex Salmond, who led the party until 2000, appeared to rule himself out of the contest by saying he would decline if nominated. Mr Salmond blamed elements of the SNP and the Scottish press for not recognising John Swinney's achievements as SNP leader. Alex Neil, who was beaten by Mr Swinney four years ago, said he would think about standing again. Campbell Martin, the MSP who was suspended from the SNP after criticising the leader, said Mr Swinney had made the right decision. It was now time for the SNP to take a different direction and return to its core message of independence, he added. Nominations for the new leader have opened and the result will be declared on Friday 3 September.

BBC News | SCOTLAND | Salmond to quit as SNP leader Monday, 17 July, 2000, 15:23 GMT 16:23 UK Salmond to quit as SNP leader Mr Salmond has led the party for a decade The leader of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond, has announced his resignation from the post. Mr Salmond, 45, will step down at the party's annual conference in September after 10 years as national convener. An MP and Member of the Scottish Parliament, his leadership style has been criticised from within the party in recent years. Most recently, Mr Salmond was at the centre of the controversy over the suspension of Ian Blackford as party treasurer, who threatened to sue him for defamation. It has been a rare privilege to lead the SNP over the last decade Alex Salmond Speaking at a news conference in Aberdeen, he revealed that he had only reached his final decision at the weekend. He said that 10 years into the job seemed "an appropriate time" to reflect on the position.

"I think 10 years has been the allotted term of SNP leaders," he said, pointing out that his predecessor, Gordon Wilson, had served the same length of time in the top job. Asked for his preferred successor, he said: "I have got my own private thoughts but obviously they are private." 'Complete puzzle' BBC political correspondent Nick Robinson described the resignation as "a complete puzzle". "Why if it was always going to be 10 years, hadn't we known about it. The decision seems to be very last-minute," he said. In a letter to SNP members, he said: "The party is now at its strongest position ever. "I have no regrets" "We are the official opposition in the Scots Parliament, we have over 200 local councillors, we lead the Scottish opinion polls and are at over 30% in the Westminster polls. "I am absolutely convinced that the SNP will win the next Scottish election and take Scotland forward to independence. "However, translating that political success onto a personal level, that would effectively lock me into a further decade as party leader. "It has been a rare privilege to lead the SNP over the last decade. I have enjoyed myself enormously.

I have no complaints and no regrets." Blackford turmoil He said he had "no intention" of giving up politics and planned to continue as MP and MSP for Banff and Buchan, in the north-east of Scotland. As an indication that he did not intend to fade away from SNP politics, Mr Salmond added: "I hope to serve Scotland in the future in some other capacity." The battle for the job has begun with left-winger Alex Neil confirming his intention to stand. He is likely to face competition from deputy leader, John Swinney, who will announce a decision in the next few days. Ian Blackford: Threatened legal action Other names in the frame so far are deputy leader, acting treasurer Kenny MacAskill; justice spokeswoman Roseanna Cunningham and business manager Mike Russell. Political opponents seized on the Ian Blackford turmoil.

Liberal Democrat MP Menzies Campbell said: "It makes no sense whatsoever for Alex Salmond and his treasurer to be fighting each other like ferrets in a sack." Enterprise Minister Henry McLeish, a Labour MSP, said: "The SNP is a single-issue protest group who use the luxury of knowing they will never be in government to come up with crazy and uncosted promises to the people of Scotland." In March, members of the party's national council approved the policy of an independence referendum being held by an SNP-led Scottish Parliament or by the Scottish Parliament, if the SNP won a Westminster election. Mr Salmond was an economist with the Royal Bank of Scotland before winning the Banff and Buchan Westminster constituency from the Tories in 1987. The following year he interrupted the chancellor's Budget speech in protest at the introduction of the poll tax in Scotland. He was thrown out of the chamber for a week. Search BBC News Online Video: Alex Salmond resigns: a look back at his political career - Telegraph Alex Salmond has dramatically fallen on his sword after Scotland voted decisively to reject his dream of independence and to remain part of the United Kingdom.

As David Cameron held out the promise of a "new and fair" constitutional settlement for the entire UK, Mr Salmond said he would be standing down as First Minister and leader of the SNP. A tired sounding Mr Salmond told a news conference at his official residence at Bute House in Edinburgh it was time for new leadership to hold politicians at Westminster to account for promises they made to Scotland during the course of the campaign. Salmond was born on New Year's Eve, known in Scotland as Hogmanay, in 1954, to civil servant parents and raised in government-subsidised housing in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh. He studied history and economics at St Andrews University, where he encountered the perks of privilege. St. Andrews has long been popular with upper-class English students – Prince William studied there much later – and people close to Salmond say the experience made him resent any suggestion of rich southerners trying to direct Scotland. Salmond joined the SNP in 1974 while at university. The Scottish political landscape was shifting and the North Sea started to produce oil in 1975, giving Scotland a financial footing that would make independence seem credible.

He continued as a party activist while working at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, where he met his wife, Moira, and later at the Royal Bank of Scotland. In 1979, the SNP was riven by factionalism after a referendum on Scottish devolution failed. Salmond was able to unite SNP members in opposition to London and he emerged as a modern leader ready to reposition the party as more socially democratic and pro-European. In 1999 the Scottish Parliament was re-established for the first time since 1707 after a second referendum approved devolution under the Labour government of Tony Blair. He quit as SNP leader for four years in 2000 to focus on Westminster after a falling out. He capitalised on growing unhappiness with Labour to beat the national ruling party by a single seat in 2007, becoming First Minister at the head of a minority Scottish government. In 2011 the SNP won an overall majority even though the electoral system was designed to encourage coalition governments. Scottish Nationalist Alex Salmond resigned as leader of his party on Friday and will quit as First Minister of his country after losing an independence referendum.

Salmond said he would not accept the nomination as leader of the Scottish National Party at an annual conference in November and that he would then resign as First Minister.

Question: Who resigned in July 2000 as leader of the Scottish National Party?
Answer: ALEX SALMOND